The weekend of Sunday, January 7, saw the clergy and faithful of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY, celebrate the great feast of the Nativity of Christ. Leading Divine Liturgy and Vespers on Saturday morning, All-Night Vigil on Saturday evening, and Liturgy for the feast itself was the dean of the convent’s St. Seraphim Cathedral, Archpriest Alexander Fedorowski, co-served by convent clerics Archpriest Yaroslav Belikow and Protodeacon Serge Arlievsky.

The convent saw many attendees on Saturday evening, with almost 200 people coming to venerate the icon of the Nativity and be anointed with oil, with many communing of Christ’s Holy Mysteries the following morning. The church was filled to capacity, with the sisters of the convent – led by Abbess Makaria – joining regular parishioners and guests. The choir sang beautifully under the direction of Reader Nicholas Ilyin.

On Monday morning, January 8, the feast of the Synaxis of the Mother of God, Fr. Alexander celebrated Divine Liturgy, co-served by Archpriests Mark Burachek (rector of Our Lady of Kazan Church in Newark, NJ) and George Zelenin (rector of St. Michael Cathedral in Paterson, NJ), while Fr. Serge sang in the choir.

After Liturgy, a panihida was served for the fifth anniversary of the repose of Abbess Irene (Alexeev).